Placard holder for tank cars



July 9, 1929.

KEEP usnrs m FIRES waf s. JOINER M20276 PLACARD HOLDER FORYTANK CARSFiled July 27, 1927 2 Shots-Sheet 1 'KEEPLIBHTSQFIRESAWAY 61 Jamel;

July 9, 1929. s. JOINER 1.720.276

' (PLACARD momma FOR TANK cums I Filed July 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,SLJm'ner;

gwntol Patented July 9, 1929.

sz'rvns'rnn L. J'oINiiR,

F MC'GREGOR, TEXAS.

PLAGAZR-D HOLDER FOR TANK CARS.

Application filed July 27,

. 'nrentkzn relates to a placard holder for tank cars.

it is common practice to use placards on tank cars to display twosignals, one signal to indicate that the tank car is transportinginflammable material and the other signal to indicate that the tank carused for transportinginflamn'iable material is empty. There are timeswhen the tank cars generally used for the transportation of inflammablematerials are used for transporting other materials, such as molasses orother commodities, of non-inflammable nature. At thepresent time the twosignal reversibl placard has not been altogether satisfactory oreffective when the tank car is used to transport a non-inflammablecommodity, because inspectors and others, making the discovery that thetank car is being used to transport non-inflammable materials, and theplacard indicating the transportation of inflammable materials and nothaving been removed from its holder, the inspector has of his own accordremoved the placard from its holder and put it aside, to overcome thedisplay of the misleading sig nal when non-inflammable materials arebeing transported. At such times the inspectors remove the placardentirely from the tank cars, and this has put the owners of the cars (0considerable expense to trace the placards, and considerable trouble andexpense has been necessary to locate or replace the placards. It will beappreciated that in the use of the present type of reversible placardsupported in either of its two positions, that is to say, when theplacar is supported to i to indicia indicating that the tank car isbeing used to transport inflammable material or that such car fortransporting inflammable material is empty, there being no means tosupport the placard without one or the other misleading indicationsbeing displayed when the car is used to transport noninflammablematerial, it is a coi'nparatively easy matter to lnisplace or lose theplacard when the inspector or other person removes the same from theholder because of the misleading signal or indication.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide a placardholder constructed to provide for the display of a series of signals toindicate that the car is being used for transporting inflammablematerials, or is empty, or that the car generally used for thetransportation of inflammable material, is transporting non-inflammablematerial,

1927. Serial No. 208,844.

so that the signals will properly enlighten an inspector without dangerof loss of the placard.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a placardholder embodying among other characteristics means whereby, when thetank car is converted for use to carry a noninfiammable commodity, theplacard may be supported and carried by the placard holder withoutgiving an erroneous indication or signal, and whereby there is no inconvenience put upon the owners of the cars in etl'orts to trace a missingplacard.

It is still further designed to provide a device of the characterdescribed embodying among other characteristics, means whereby tosupport a placard in diflerent positions and readily accessible forpositioning the same and without danger of accidental turning of theplacard or resulting in an obstruction beingplaced along the runningboard of the car.

\Vith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth inthe claims hereto appended, it being understood that various minorchanges in the form, size and minor details of construction, within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a reversible placard holder for tank carsconstructed in accordance with the present invention and showing thesignal indicative of the car carrying inflammable material.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the reverse side of the placardindicating that the car usually employed for transporting inflammablematerial is empty.

Fig. 3 is a similar View illustrating the position of the placard whenthe tank car is transporting noninfiammable material.

Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of the placard holder with theplacard removed.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the placard holderillustrating the placard in the holder and showing only the lowerportion of the placard.

Fig. 6 is a side view'of the placard holder illustrating the lowerportion of the placard with the latter mounted in the holder.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference characthe iron strip 9 projecting slightly beyond the outeredge ot the running board.

The upper end ot the upright may be onlarged in cross sectional diameterto provide a head B, and this head is hollow to provide a vertical orlongitudinal socket 10 opening upwardly and preterably oblong in crosssection I 1 4. and beaded, as at 11, at its upper edge LO strengthen thesame. At the lower end ol the head, within the socket, is a continuousshoulder 12, for a purpose presently explained.

The placard is indicated; generally, by the reference character C. Theplat ible and designed for use on tank cars, and is constructedpreferably 01 metal or other indestructible material. It is providedwith the lettering or indicia indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawingsto provide the desired placard signals or information, and same may beapplied to the placard in any suitable manner. Placards are required tobe placed on tank cars transporting or containing inflammable materials,so as to notify railroad employees and others of the inflammable natureof the contents. The illustrated placard has indicia on one side toindicate or signal that the tank contains inflammable material. On theother side of the placard is indicia to indicate or signal that theinflammable contents of the tank have been removed and such signal isdisplayed when the tank car has been emptied simply by reversing theplacard To reversibly support the placard C in accordance with thepresent invention 1 provide a suitable bracket D, which is provided witha slot 18 to receive the placard in the manner shown, and the placard isfirmly secured in said slot of the bracket by means of rivets let, orotherwise.

The bracket 1) has a collar from which projects a shank 16 which is pre"bly oblong in cross section and which is ill. opted tor removableinsertion in the oblong shaped socket 10, with the lower end of theshank adapted to rest upon the adjacent continuous shoulder 12. Byvirtue of the oblong cross sectional shape of the socket and shank thebracket cannot accidentally turn in its support and the placard ineither of its positions cannot be positioned in other than parallelismwith the outer edge of the running board, whereby the placard cannot atany time become an obstruction across the running board or in any wayintertere with travel of a trai nman over the running board, as might bethe it the shank were round and fitted in a round socket and turnedaccidentally ecause or loosening of the fastening elements.

To secure the placard bracket shank 16 in the socket 101 provide asuitable locking de vice which may consist of a cylindrical casing 17extending laterally from one side 01 the head B in alignment with anopening 18 leading into the socket 10. A bolt 19 is slidably mounted atthe casing 17 and by means oi a suitable spring 20 the bolt normallythrown inwardly to pass through the said opening 18 in the head B andenter an opening 21 formed in the shank 16 ot the bracket C so as toeffectually lock the bracket against accidental displacen'ient. Aninternally screw threaded boss 22 is formed with or secured to the heador the upright, and tie casing 1? has its inner end ex e rally screwthreaded for working it with the inte threaded boss 22. V l he casing 17reo..s..ed to provide an internal shoulder 23 and the bolt 19 at itsinner end has a keeper 2-1- which is the part of the bolt 19 which psses through the opening 18 in the head l3 and enters the opening 21 inthe shank 16. Between the rear end of the keeper 2% and the shoulder 23of the casing, the aforesaid spring 20 is mounted, by virtue 01 whichthe on. y d end of the keeper 2% is normally thrust inwardly to lockingposition under the influence of the spring: 20. The locking bolt 19 isprovided at its outer end with a hand grasping knob 25 to facilitateoperation of the belt which latter may be retracted against the actionof said spring 20 upon outward pull on the knob 25, so as to permitread] removal of the placard from the hold-- er when desired. To thisend the casing 17 is provided with a pair of slots 26 at its outer endto receive the ends of a pin 27 extendin; transversely through the bolt19 near the outer endot the latter. whereby to limit the inward thrustof the bolt. By turning the bolt in the casing 17 to align the ends otsaid pin 27 with said slotsv 26, the bolt moves inwardly into the socketunder the influence of said spring, as stated. To maintain the springretracted against inw'ard movement under the action of the spring 20,the bolt may be pulled outwardly and the ends of said pin 27 pern'iittedto engage the outer end of the casing 17 between the slots 26. as willbe understood. so as to permit the readv removal of the placard from itsholder. The hand grasping knob 25 may be detachably secured to the bolt19 by means of a suitable tasted ing 28. When the casing 17 is securedto the head B of the upright and it is desired to insert the bolt 19 inthe casing. the knob 25 may be removed by removing the fasteninc; 2% andalso removing the transverse pin 27. The spring 20 is then applied tothe bolt 19 and the bolt 19 with the spring 20 applied thereto back ofthe keeper 2% is passed through an opening 29 in the head B opposite theaforesaid opening 18 and passed across the socket and inserted into thecasing 17 through the inner end of the latter when both the pin 27 andthe tast ng 28 may be inserted in the aforesaid operative positions withrelation to the bolt 19, when the locking device is operative to performthe functions hereinbefore described.

I have thus far described a reversible placard holder for tank carswhich is simple, strong, durable and effective, and one in which theplacard cannot at any time turn accidentally in its support but mustassume positively and firmly one of either of the two positionshereinbefore stated in parallelism with the outer edge of the runningboard, so as to prevent the possibility of the placard becoming anobstruction across the path of the running board.

Another characteristic manifest in the structure described thus far isthat the collar of the bracket D fitting over the aforesaid beaded upperedge of the head B of the up right provides for the prevention of rain.sleet, or snow finding its way into the socket 10. IVhile I claim aspart of my invention the structure of reversible placard hold r for tankcars as thus far desc ed, I have as a further object of my inventl n theprovision of a placard holder embodying such structural characteristicsas to provide for the supportin the holder of the placard when thelatter is not used to indicate that the car is transporting inflammablematerial or that it is empty, so that the car which is generally usedfor such pu poses may be used for the transportation of non-inflammablecommodities without danger of an erroneous interpretat-ion bein made bythe inspector. In other words, a further object of the present inventionis to position the placard in its holder so that it may be carriedthereby without danger of loss or being misplaced and yet not give anerronous signal to an inspector, trainman, or others in the yards or Tothis end, the head B between its ends is provided with o gositelydisposed oblong shaped openings 30 to receive the similarly formed shank31 projecting laterally from the bracket C and preferably formedtherewith, so that when the tank car is not transporting inflammablematerial or is being used to transport a commodity or commodities otherthan those of an inflammable nature, the placard is removed from itsordinary position in the socket 10 through the upper end of the socketand the shank 31 projecting laterally from the bracket C is passedtransversely through the head and l socket 10, and through the aforesaido iositely disposed openin s the aforesan wing bolt being withdrawn topermit such removal and positioning of the placard, and as soon as the 1takes the position described with shank 3i relation to the oblong shapedopenings 30,

at other places.

the one and the same locking bolt is manipulated so that it may passinto the socket 10 in the same manner as heretofore described and enteran opening 32 formed in the shank 31 to thereby lock the placardcarrying bracket Gin an inverted or depending position with relation tothe holder alongside the outer edge of the running board and inparallelism with the outer edge of the latter and thereby prevent lossof the placard and have the same ready for use when necded in thetransportation of inflammable liquids or other goods and thereby preventinconvenience to the owners of the cars incident to the heretoforefrequent misplacing of the placards under the conditions heretoforeprevailing. In all three of these positions of the placard, it may bereadily manipulated from the ground, that is to say, the trainman orother workman finds the device accessible to him from the ground and heis able to stoop and in a steeping or upright position manipulate thelocking device to reverse the placard in its depending position asaforesaid.

While my device is effective in the matter of preventing accidental lossof the placard, I have considered it advisable to exercise all possibleprecaution in the matter of accidental loss of the placard because ofthe expense thereof and inconvenience in locating the same if lost ormisplaced, I have nevertheles. p ovided an additional securing means inthe nature of a chain 33 or suitable flexible element which may besecured in any suitable manner to the upright A, as by means of asecuring connection 34, and the flexible element 33 at its outer end maycarry a hook 35 of any suitable character designed to be fitted in anyone of the apertures 36 along the edges of the placard as shown.

This flexible element connection between the placard and the uprightshould prove of value against misplacing the placard in the event ofcarelessness on the part of an attendant in not positively locking theplacard carrying bracket to the supporting upright and if ajar shouldoccasion accidental disconnection of the bracket from the supportingupright. Furthermore, the flexible connection element has its value inthe use of the present invention in the event that an attendant shoulddesire to suspend the placard and its bracket temporarily with theplacard unconnected in any of its operative positions with thesupporting bracket.

It will be understood that the signalling data or information containedon the placard is immaterial in so far as my invention is concerned, andthat the signalling data or information may be altered or changed orthat the data which is illustrated may have added thereto other data orinformation as desired.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, an upright, a placard havingdifferent indicating indicia on opposite sides thereof, a bracketcarrying the placard and having reversible supporting connection withthe upright, whereby to display one or the other signal according to theside of the placard exposed to view, means whereby to connect thebracket to the upright to support the bracket on the upright in aposition other than its reversible supporting connection, so as toarrange the placard in another position and thereby provide for thedisplay of a third signal; and a common looking device to lock thebracket on the upright in either of its reversed or said other position.

2. In a device of the character described, an upright provided with asocket having a top entrance and provided with side openingscorresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form sideentrances, and a placard provided with a plurality of shanks of a sizeto fit the entrance to the said socket, whereby the placard is adaptedto be arranged in a number of different positions on the same socket. v

3. In a device of the character described, an upright provided withasocket having a top entrance and provided with side openingscorresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form sideentrances, a placard provided with a plurality of shanks of a size tofit the entrance to the said socket, whereby the placard is adapted tobe arranged in a number of different positions on the same socket, and asingle fastening device common to the said shanks for securing theplacard to the upright in any of the several positions of the saidplacard.

4. In a device of the character described, an upright provided With asocket having a top entrance and provided with side openingscorresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form sideentrances, and a placard provided with vertical and horizontal shanksinsertible in the said socket through the said entrances to permit theplacard to be arranged in a number of different positions in the samesocket.

5. In a device of the character described, an upright provided with asocket having a top entrance and providedwith side openingscorresponding in size and shape to the top entrance to form sideentrances, a placard provided with vertical and horizontal shanksinsertihle in the said socket through the said entrances to permit theplacard to be a rranged in a number of different positions in the samesocket, and a fastening device coinmen to each of the said shanks andadapted to secure the placard in any one of its different positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SYLVESTER L. JOINER.

